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Contact: |
Jenny McNeill |
Personnel Manager |
Tel: 023 8064 4000 ext 524 |
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1 |
Introduction |
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1.1 |
Further to the report to the Personnel Committee on 12 March 2001, further progress has been made on reaching a local agreement regarding: |
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i) |
method of calculation for years 2000 and 2001 holiday payments, and; |
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ii) |
the taking and recording of leave. |
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2 |
Method of Calculating Holiday Payment |
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2.1 |
In June 2000 it was proposed to the Fire Brigades Union that a local collective agreement be arrived at to extend the provisions of the NJC regarding calculating holiday pay for the years 2000 and 2001. Agreement was received from the FBU in July 2001. |
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2.2 |
Data has now been gathered to allow individual calculations to be made on variable payments for the year 2000, recognising starters, leavers and variations to contracts during that period. |
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2.3 |
The Service undertook to complete the individual calculations and make the outstanding holiday payments for the year 2000 by the end of September 2001. This has been achieved. |
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2.4 |
Payment information on which to make calculations for the year 2001 will not be available until early 2002, at which point the above exercise will be repeated. |
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2.5 |
System design work for a robust and auditable holiday payment system is now in place for the years 2002 onwards and, having received assurances from the Fire Brigades Union that an agreement will be reached, this can be finalised, tested and applied from January 2002 onwards. |
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2.6 |
In order to streamline the administration of making payment for holiday entitlement, it has been proposed that payment for leave calculations are based on the comparative period of the previous year. This was agreed at national level to be the most efficient method. This would allow regular pro-rata monthly payments to be made, regardless of when leave is actually taken. |
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2.7 |
Individuals, however, have the legal right to demand payment for leave to be calculated over the 13 weeks prior to their holiday. In order to implement 2.6 individuals must separately elect to waive this right in writing. The resource implications and the delay in making holiday payment should the 13 week basis be chosen by individuals would be considerable. |
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3 |
The Taking and Recording of Leave |
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3.1 |
Agreement was reached with the Fire Brigades Union in April 2001 that retained personnel can take their leave in single days, subject to a maximum of 5 drill nights per year being taken as leave. This would continue to be recorded and managed locally. |
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4 |
48 Hour Working Week |
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4.1 |
As a separate issue, but part of the Working time Regulations legislation, consideration will need to be given to the number of hours worked by HFRS personnel. |
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4.2 |
There is still considerable work to be done, in partnership with the FBU, Unison and GMB, regarding the number of hours worked by firefighters and support staff. |
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5 |
Financial Implications of Year 2000 Holiday Payments to Retained Firefighters |
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5.1 |
The cost of holiday payments for the year 2000/01 was originally provided at £210,000. The final payment figure is yet to be finalised, but is likely to be approximately £230,000. For 2001/02 it is estimated to be £200,000 and £200,000 per annum thereafter. |
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6 |
European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 |
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6.1 |
The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. |
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Recommendations |
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1 |
That the report be noted. |
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2 |
That the financial implications of the difference should be addressed by the Authority when the Revised Budget for 2001/02 is considered. |
